Oyster odyssey: Oyster Filtration Effectiveness Among Bronx Estuaries

Our research on oysters was inspired by City Island Oyster Reef about how they are usings oysters to improve local biodiversity and increase coastal resilience. We aimed to investigate how oysters can improve water quality as measured by pH and nutrients/pollutants levels. Oysters were placed in samples of water collected from three different brackish waterways near the Bronx. Their filtration effectiveness, measured by levels of phosphate, nitrate, chromium, and chlorine before and after 24 hours of oyster treatment were compared to a control group without oysters. Results showed that nitrate and phosphate decreased in the experimental group, and pH increased.